The W3C Workshop on Delivery Context

Call for
Participation

4-5 March 2002

W3C/INRIA -
Sophia-Antipolis, France

Introduction

Scope

As the reach of the Web
extends to devices beyond the traditional PC, providing a satisfactory user
experience hinges upon the ability to determine and effectively leverage the
various characteristics that describe the context in which the Web content is
to be delivered and rendered. Termed Delivery Context and typically
identified as a profile, the capabilities of the access mechanism and
preferences of the user are a key enabler for achieving device independence
(see Device Independence
Principles). Most profiles implemented today are representative of
application specific vocabularies that span both qualitative and quantitative
attributes regarding one or more niche contexts that may not necessarily
interoperate. Similarly, multiple techniques already exist for representing,
communicating, manipulating and interpreting these profiles in different Web
applications. In fact W3C has developed one such technology - CC/PP which specifies a
protocol independent framework for conveying capabilities
information.

Based on feedback from W3C Members, we have decided to
strengthen our Device Independence work, in particular in the area of
delivery context. The Device Independence Working Group is currently drafting
a document on Delivery Context Requirements. To define the exact direction of
this work, to allow for a wide variety of inputs on the Device Independence
Activity, and to get more people involved, we are organizing a two-day
workshop. This workshop will take place on 4-5 March 2002 at W3C/INRIA
Sophia-Antipolis. It is co-located with the W3C Technical
Plenary.

We believe that one of the main areas we should work on is
to create new technologies on delivery context in addition to reviewing
specifications.

Goal

The goal of this workshop is
two-fold:

to bring together various stakeholders impacted by
or involved/ interested in delivery context for the purposes of device
independence and encourage exchange of information regarding current
practices

develop an architecture roadmap to ensure

the evolution (convergence?) of current implementation
techniques towards a broad general purpose framework that will meet
the requirements of the various application
communities,

the interoperability of complementary
vocabularies within the generalized
framework

The outcome of the workshop will
help the rechartering of the Device Independence Activity and in particular
of the DI and CC/PP Working Groups.

Suggested
Topics

Towards that goal, the workshop will include discussion on
topics such as

Expected
Audience

Members of W3C Working Groups those who are interested
in delivery context issues

Individuals and organizations
outside the W3C, but with interested in W3C's work on delivery context,
involved in related standardization activity with related implementation
experience

Deliverables

The program of the
workshop will be published on the Web for the public dissemination. This may
include position statements and associated materials.

In addition
to this, a report on the discussions during the workshop will be made public
after the meeting.

Participation

To participate
in this workshop, each person or organization must submit a position paper to
the program committee no later than three weeks before the workshop. To
attend the workshop, you must register with the Web
registration form no later than 11 February, 2002. Position papers should also be submitted until
11 February, 2002.

The cost of the workshop will
be borne by the arranging organizations. There will be no participation
fee.

Registration

The workshop is an
open event. Everybody interested in participating in W3C's device
independence work is welcome. However, space is limited to 50 participants.
Therefore, if you plan to attend, please use the online
registration form to register and send in your position statement as soon
as possible.

Preference will be given on the basis of (1) quality
of position statements, and (2) employees of W3C Member
Organizations.

Position
Paper

Position
papers are the basis for the discussion at the workshop. Position papers must
be sent via email to w3c-di-ws-submit@w3.org by
11th February 2002, in (X)HTML or plain text.

A
position paper is usually short, around 1 to 4 pages (there is a maximum of
five pages, or 27000 characters) and describes a position on a subject
preferably related to one of the topics listed above. Position statements are
required from every participant, including invited experts and W3C
staff.

All participants will be asked to briefly introduce their
interest statement orally during the workshop.

Position papers will
be published on the public Web pages of the workshop, so position papers and
slides of presentations must be available for public dissemination.
Submitting a position paper comprises a default recognition of these terms
for publication.